Hibernian were robbed of the most dramatic exit from their European competition on Wednesday night. Clunkily enough, that’s where they went out, at the play-off stage, as did Aberdeen. Hibernian’s hopes of reaching the Conference League one step further ended in a thrilling 3-3 draw with Legia Warsaw. As it transpired, they came up just short with a 5-4 aggregate defeat after extra time. Meanwhile, Aberdeen’s ambitions in the Europa League ended in disappointment as they succumbed to a 5-2 aggregate loss against Romanian champions FCSB.
Hibernian had an uphill battle as the match began. They faced a mountain — they were down 2-1 on aggregate after their initial matchup at Easter Road. Just eight minutes later, the team went down 3-0. Vahan Bichakhchyan of Armenia blasted a howitzer into the net for Legia Warsaw from deep in the box. Hibernian struggled to regain control until Juergen Elitim managed to equalize, striking a crucial goal that tied the aggregate score at 4-4 and forced the match into extra-time.
As the tension built in the additional period, Hibernian’s dreams of advancement were thwarted when Mileta Rajovic sent a powerful shot high into the net, sealing Hibernian’s fate and ending their European journey. They left the race with a combined 5-4 aggregate score.
In yet another semifinal clash, Aberdeen too went home in heartbreaking fashion. After securing a 2-2 draw at Pittodrie last week, they approached the second leg in Bucharest’s National Arena with optimism. A contentious call just before the break turned the tide of the game completely. An early penalty conceded by FCSB followed by Alexander Jensen’s sending off put Aberdeen on back foot.
Aberdeen took a loss on the chin and soon returned to championship form. Rocky Bushiri netted just after the break before a Martin Boyle double then Miguel Chaiwa turned the head towards a remarkable 11-minute turnaround. This boom returned them to play-off arguments, but the Dons never recovered from their ignominious opening phase. They overturned a first-leg deficit in the second round of qualifying with a dramatic 6-5 aggregate win over FCSB.
The main priority now for both teams is to regroup and go again, with six more highly competitive domestic fixtures on the horizon. The exits of these teams further illustrate the challenges Scottish clubs face in European competitions. They focus on the razor-thin margins that often determine success or failure on such a visible and coveted platform.
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